Disinfectants which contain alcohols and hydrogen peroxide are known in the prior art. Such disinfectants capitalize on the known bacteriacidal effect of alcohols and the oxydizing effect of hydrogen peroxide. They have the advantage of being free from iodine or resorbable iodine compounds, which are not desirable in many uses because of their side effects causing discoloration of the skin.
Water-based skin disinfectants are described in published German patent application No. 29 04 217 which was laid open to public inspection on Aug. 14, 1980. This publication describes a composition that consists of 40%-50% by weight of ethanol, 20%-30% by weight of isopropanol, and 0.15%-0.2% by weight of hydrogen peroxide, with a balance of water. A problem with this composition is its slow kill rate for some types of bacteria. Examples on pages 8 and 9 of the publication show that more than three days of exposure to the composition may be required to completely destroy certain bacteria. Consequently, although the composition is intended for use as a skin disinfectant, there is some concern about its efficacy in such use. In addition, the composition does not contain any emollients to combat the drying effects of alcohol on the skin.
Consequently, there exists a need for an effective flash-dry disinfectant for use by individuals in the food and health care industries which effectively destroys microbes on short term exposure and does not excessively irritate the skin.